Delightful evenings of vocal and instrumental music, exciting opera performances and entertaining children’s programs will be presented to the attention of the capital’s theatregoers at Astana Opera in February. What is more, this month at the Chamber Hall the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Azamat Zheltyrguzov will debut as Dr Malatesta in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale.
On February 2, at 7 pm, there will be a concert Under the Sign of Béla Bartók from the Kazakh Quartet Invites series. A new series of concerts by the Gaziza Zhubanova State String Quartet is dedicated to one of the largest representatives of the Hungarian composing school, Béla Bartók, whose 140th anniversary is celebrated by the international music community this year. The program features Haydn’s String Quartet in E flat major, op. 20 No. 1 and Bartók’s String Quartet No. 5. As part of the evening, the premiere of the work of the contemporary Kazakh composer Artyk Toksanbayev on the themes of Tattimbet’s kuis – Respect to You Mr. Tattimbet String Quartet. The string quartet composition: Aidar Toktaliyev (1st violin), Alexey Lebedev (2nd violin), Bekzat Sailaubaiuly (viola), Artistic Director – the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yernar Myntayev (cello).
On February 5, at 7 pm, Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven’s works, performed by Astana Opera’s soloists and symphony orchestra under the baton of conductor Rakhimzhan Baspayev, will be featured for the audience in a symphonic music concert from the Great Names series. The Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Daulet Shakirov (cello) and Damilya Makhpirova (oboe), international competitions laureates Anel Shakirova (violin) and Rakhimzhan Baspayev (piano) will present their interpretation of the work of the composers of the Viennese school. Haydn’s Symphony in C major “Kindersinfonie”, Oboe Concerto in C major, Symphony No. 45 in F-sharp minor “Abschiedssinfonie” and Beethoven’s Sonata No. 14, op. 27 in C sharp minor, Triple Concerto for piano, violin and cello in C major, op. 56 will be performed.
On February 7, at 5 pm, the opera house’s soloists and orchestra musicians will perform in the concert An Evening by the Fireplace from The Charm of an Art Song series. Aizada Kaponova (Chevalier of the Order of Kurmet), the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Zhamilya Jarkimbayeva, international competitions laureates Galina Cheplakova, Yelena Ganzha, Assem Sembina (sopranos), Gulzhanat Sapakova, Tatyana Vitsinskaya (mezzo-sopranos), the Honoured Artist of Kazakhstan, laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan Shakhimardan Abilov (baritone), a singer Maira Dauletbak, Balzhan Saparova (flute), Magrufa Mukazhanova (harp) and the string quartet comprised of: laureate of the 10th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians Akbike Algi (1st violin), international competitions laureates Indira Nurlybai (2nd violin), Leonid Mysovsky (viola), Azhar Kadyrova (cello). Piano – international competitions laureate Raushan Beskembirova. Art songs and instrumental compositions by Offenbach, Dvořák, Elgar, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rubinstein, Rachmaninoff, Glazunov, as well as heartfelt poetry that is consonant with the music will be performed at the Astana Opera Chamber Hall.
On February 9, at 7 pm, the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Bagdat Abilkhanov will present the second evening from All Sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven series. International competitions laureate Saltanat Abilkhanova will perform the piano part in the concert The God of Music Is in His Opus… The program features Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, op. 12/2, Violin Sonata No. 4 in A minor, op. 23, Violin Sonata No. 6 in A major, op. 30 No. 1. Together with Saltanat Abilkhanova, the Principal First Violin, Soloist and Concertmaster of the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra Bagdat Abilkhanov will perform all 10 violin sonatas, created by the great German composer.
On February 12, at 7 pm, and February 13, at 5 pm, a brilliant production of Gaetano Donizetti’s famous comic opera Don Pasquale will be presented to the capital’s theatregoers. On February 13, the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Azamat Zheltyrguzov will take the Astana Opera Chamber Hall stage as Dr Malatesta for the first time. Yerzhan Saipov will portray this character on the previous day. Don Pasquale – Yevgeniy Chainikov, Shyngys Rassylkhan, Norina – the Honoured Artist of Kazakhstan Zhannat Baktai, the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Saltanat Akhmetova, Ernesto – the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Zhan Tapin, Narul Toikenov, Carlito – Yerulan Kamel, Ruslan Sovet. The production will be performed within the framework of the Piccolo Chamber Theatre project.
The Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra, Choir and Supernumeraries. Music Director and Conductor is the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Abzal Mukhitdin, Artistic Director of the Production is Ala Simonishvili, Set and Costume Designer is Manana Gunia, Director is Yerenbak Toikenov. Principal Choirmaster is the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Dautov, Assistant Conductor is Ruslan Baimurzin. Accompanists are Yelena Sakhno, Irina Kurguzkina, Zhanar Akhmetova, Meruert Zhekenova, Zhanyl Rakhimbekova.
On February 16, at 7 pm, a vocal and symphonic music concert Only MOZART! will be featured for listeners. This evening, the works of the great Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, including the overture and Count Almaviva’s aria from Le Nozze di Figaro, Symphony No. 28 in C major, KV200 and Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major KV218. The works of the classic will be performed by the international competitions laureate, student of the Mozarteum University Salzburg Akbike Algi (violin), opera soloist Yerzhan Saipov (baritone) and the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Ruslan Baimurzin.
On February 19, at 7 pm, an evening of art songs From Glinka to Sviridov, with Love will take place. The Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Azamat Zheltyrguzov (baritone), international competitions laureates Yelena Ganzha (soprano), Azhar Kadyrova (cello) and the Astana Opera Children’s Choir under the direction of Altynganym Akhmetova will take the stage of the Astana Opera Chamber Hall. Piano – Meruert Zhekenova. Art songs by composers Mikhail Glinka, Alexander Dargomyzhsky, Mily Balakirev, César Cui, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Dmitri Shostakovich and Georgy Sviridov will be offered to the attention of the residents and guests of the capital.
On February 20, at 12 pm, there will be a concert for children A Friendly Family of the Winds and Percussion Instruments from the Visit to the Opera House series. The wind orchestra under the baton of conductor Ruslan Baimurzin and musicologist Marzhan Zhakenova will acquaint children with all the instruments and their sounds in a fascinating way. Young viewers will have the opportunity to enjoy the music of the wind orchestra.
On February 26, at 7 pm, trios and quartets, as well as chamber music for the wind ensemble will be performed in the Wind Instruments Voyage concert. Among the featured works are Yevgeny Brusilovsky’s Gakku, Franz Doppler’s Duettino on Hungarian Themes for two flutes and piano, Gabriel Fauré’s the Dolly Suite, op. 56, Andrey Rubtsov’s Three Moods, Charles Gounod’s Petite Symphonie for Winds, Antonín Dvořák’s Serenade for Wind Instruments, op. 44.
A young artist, 1st grade student of the school for gifted children of the Kazakh National University of Arts, Toty Kabdilakhmet (recorder), will open the concert. High-caliber professionals – Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra musicians, as well as professors and teachers of KazNUA: the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yerkat Nurgaliyev, Aruzhan Torekhanova, Nina Grigoryeva, Liliya Seitmulina, Aigerim Dautbayeva, Diana Askarova, Roza Soltykhanova, Zhanar Zheltyrguzova (flutes), the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Damilya Makhpirova, Liliya Abdrakhmanova, Nurgul Saparova (oboes), Almaz Tokpanov, Daulet Seidakhmetov, Zarina Appazova (clarinets), Asset Neldybayev, Vladimir Ardashev, Seiful Dalishev, Sherniyaz Nazarov (bassoons), Yerlan Zhakenov, Kalkaman Dyussembayev, Dulat Kenes, Zhanat Zhakayev (French horns), Bakhytzhan Zhanturganov (cello), Adil Satybaldinov (double bass), Lyubov Glinka, Olga Chechneva (piano), QazaQ Quintet will continue the evening.
